IT services company Capita has bough business travel software provider Harry Weeks Travel and Leisure Group, which owns the Evoli and Travelpackonline software products, in a deal potentially worth £33 million.
Harry Weeks provides business travel software direct to UK organisations, government departments, and travel management companies. Capita first entered the business travel management market in 2005 when it acquired Lonsdale Travel.
Capita chief executive Paul Pindar said: “Last year we identified travel management as an area of major spend where we can add value to our public and private sector clients by offering effective solutions and outsourced services. With our growing portfolio of travel management services, we believe this will be an interesting market for us.”
The UK domestic business travel market is worth £6.8 billion, around 16% of which is rail travel which the Evoli system books.
Capita predicts strong growth in the domestic rail market, in which Harry Weeks holds a dominant position.
Capita has paid £21 million for the firm with an additional £12 million in cash over the next four years if the company hits certain performance targets.